Fountain Means
William Means, a citizen of North Carolina more than a century ago, left
three sons, Fountain, Alexander and Robert, all of whom caught the western
fever in early manhood and became emigrants to the Northwest Territory
when it was formed into states. Alexander reached Shelby county about
1824, and Robert came in about 1828. Fountain left his Carolina home in
1820, made the overland trip to Indiana and located for a stay of four
years at Madison. In 1826 he came to Shelby county, entered eighty acres
of government land in Moral township, near Brookfield, and set himself to
the task of rescuing it from the primeval forest with which it was covered.
Later he added one hundred and sixty acres more, put up a log cabin and
went through the trials and struggles incident to life in the wilderness.
When these brothers died, Fountain owned four hundred acres, while the
others had one hundred acres each. Fountain married Letta Edwards, also
a native of North Carolina, who shared his ventures, his failures and
successes as a devoted wife until called away by death in 1849. He survived
her many years, not answering the final summons until 1865. Of their twelve
children all have passed away except three: Eleanor married Thomas Parrish;
Martha married Benjamin Dake; Elizabeth married James Folden; Seeley and Lucinda (twins) died young; Nehemiah; Emeline married
Robert Brown; William; James Madison, a resident of Shelbyville; Robert
resides in Van Buren township; Fountain and Hardin.
History of Shelby County Indiana, by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A. Assisted by well known local talent. Illustrated
Transcribed by: Cindy Jones
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